Mary Katherine Champion Saenz

Mary Katherine Champion Saenz, of Brownsville, peacefully passed away Sunday, February 3, 2019, surrounded by her loving family.

Mary was born on November 1, 1936. She graduated from Villa Maria High School, Class of 1955.  She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.  She worked at Avco Financial as well as Brownsville Independent School District in the late 1980s in the dyslexic program. She always loved working in her yard, planting flowers and enjoying her patio with family and her dog. She spent large amounts of time every year at South Padre Island with her family and friends. She had a special place in her heart for Port Isabel where she spent many childhood summers residing at her family’s general store, Key of the Gulf-Charles Champion Proprietor, now known as the Port Isabel Historical Museum.

She is preceded in death by her parents Charles A. and Katherine B. Champion, her older brother Charles, sister Joanne Van Cleave and her husband, Joe C. Saenz.

Mary is survived by her brothers Louis T. Champion and Fred Champion; son Joseph Charles (Miroslava) Saenz; daughter Linda (Timothy) Sanderson; Katie Saenz; and four grandchildren Joseph Charles Jr., Samantha Michelle, Ashley Lynn, Stephanie Nichole Saenz and numerous other close family members.

Visitation will be held at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home at 657 Springmart Blvd, Brownsville, TX 78526 on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 from 3:00-7:00 PM with a rosary at 5:30 PM and a Celebration of Life Service from 6:00 to 7:00 PM fff